Prime Ministers of France

In the present government of France, the Fifth Republic, the Prime Minister of France (Premier ministre français) is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic. During the Second, Third and Fourth Republics, the Head of Government was called President of the Council of Ministers (Président du Conseil des Ministres), generally shortened to President of the Council (Président du Conseil).

At present, the Fifth Republic is a semi-presidential republic. This means that the Prime Minister wields considerably less actual power than his/her counterparts in most other countries, particularly as pertains to foreign affairs. During the Second, Third, and Fourth Republics, the President was a ceremonial office, and the head of government retained the critical powers.

Thus, the importance of the Prime Minister/President of the Council in the works of Harry Turtledove may vary depending upon when a given work is set.